1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and more particularly to a disposable single-use camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a disposable single-use 35 mm camera referred to as the "Quick Snap" was introduced by Fuji Photo Film. Co. Ltd., and another disposable single-use 35 mm camera referred to as the "Fling 35" was introduced by Eastman Kodak Co. Generally, each disposable camera is a point-and-shoot type and comprises (1) a plastic inner camera shell which houses a taking lens, a film metering mechanism, and a shutter and (2) a paper-cardboard outer sealed pack which contains the inner camera shell and has respective openings for the taking lens and for a shutter release button, a frame counter window, a film advance thumbwheel, and a simple see-through viewfinder, located on the inner camera shell. At the manufacturer, the camera shell is loaded with a conventional 24-exposure 35 mm film cartridge, and substantially the entire length of the unexposed filmstrip is factory prewound from the cartridge into a supply chamber of the camera shell. After the customer takes a picture, the thumbwheel is manually rotated to rewind the exposed frame into the cartridge. The rewinding movement of the filmstrip the equivalent of one frame rotates a metering sprocket to decrement a frame counter to its next lower numbered setting. When substantially the entire length of the filmstrip is exposed and rewound into the cartridge, the single-use camera is sent to a photofinisher who first removes the inner camera shell from the paper-cardboard sealed pack and then removes the filmstrip from the camera shell. The filmstrip is processed, and the camera shell and the opened pack are thrown away.